Portable conveyer



Nov 28, 1933. g JONES 1,937,198

PORTABLE CONVEYER figinal Filed Jan. 28 l928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

1 A TTORNE Y.

Nov. 28, 1933. c. JONES PORTABLE CONVEYER original Filed Jan. 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. QzdwJao/w Jam 63% v QQQLW ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 28, 1933 c PORTABLE ooNvErER ,Oadwalader Jones, Ashland, Ky., assignor of onehalf to John M. Thomas, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application January 28, 1928, Serial No. 250,182 Renewed August 6, 1931 23 Claims. (01. 19s 129) My invention is particularly applicable to the.

coal mining industry. In order that the object of the invention may be more apparentto one skilled in the art, it is necessary to indicate the application of my conveyer-to modern mining methods. Reference to Figure 1 will indicate that in coal mining operations there is a main passageway or entry 1-, through which run the tracks 2 of the mine cars, and locomotives. 01f from the-entry lead a number of rooms 3, each with its working face 4 sometimes diagonal to the walls of the room, so that as much working face as possible may be had without a dangerous increase in the width of the room. 'The room is usually separated from the entry by a comparatively narrow passageway 5, and a pillar or column 6. Into the rooms are laid tracks 7 comiected with the entry tracks 2 by a switch 8. Ordinarily temporary tracks 9 are laid along the working face and advanced with it.

A mine may be imagined as consisting of a large number of these rooms leading off from each entry. I-Iitherto it has been the practice to give one or more men each room. They cut the working faces and then proceed to load cars, which are switched onto the tracks '7 and brought up to the working face 'b'ya mine locomotive operat ing from a cable. The workmen load the car-or cars and then are forced to wait until the loaded car can be removed by a mine locomotive and replaced with an empty, and the result of this system has been that the miner is idle generallymore than half of his time.

The only way in which this idle working time can be diminished is by the provision of some means to take away coal as'fast as the men can load it. It will be obvious that considerable time can be saved by the installation, parallel with the track '7,'of a conveyer which will eliminate the necessity of switching cars on and off thistrack. The track itseliis necessary of course in ordinary mining operations to carry the cutter up to the working face. The installation of such conveyers has in many instances been made, but in practical operations such installations have not been portable, in the sense that they can readily be moved from place to place during cutting time in a room and brought back whenthe room is to be worked again. The conveyers hitherto used have been installed in rooms and left there as long as any work was contemplated. While the conveyer system has saved the working time of the men, it has required a very considerable outlay of capital. Modern mining methods require thatthe work be moved about ina mine, a storage device for a inafter describe.

be more highly concentrated as well as hastened.

at is the practice now in'the more up to date mines to transfer theloading force from room to room as maybe required, systemizing the work so that a loading crew will'handle a certain numher of adjacent rooms, going from one to the other in'rotation, while the cutting crew does the same thing. Under these circumstances the need for proper conveyers from the" working face to the cars in the entry is more apparent. If a means is'devised for taking the coal to the entry it can be loaded there into sufficient cars, handled'by mine locomotives operating from a trolley and taken away as fast as the men can load it; As before pointed out, the permanent conveyer system in each room paralleling the tracks 7 will serve. to carry the coal to the entry as may be requiredbut such a system means the installation in each room of a separate conveyer system and a separate motorized driver, and capital out.- lay mounts enormously. The capital outlay is further increased as theworking face of the drift is carried away from the entry for the reason that new sections of conveyer must be added as re-, quired. Further, during the cutting time the conveyer is idle since no loading can then be accomplished.

It is the object of my invention to provide a portable conveyer system for mine use which is easily moved from place to-place and which need not stand idle in a room during the cutting operation.

It is another object of my invention to provide a portable conveyer which runs upon the mine tracks and is therefore easily carriedirom place to place. It is a further object to provide a portable conveyer which can be varied as to its effective length so that it is useful without elaborate adjustment in rooms of various lengths. It is still a further object of my invention to provide a method of setting up and operating my portable conveyer which israpid and inexpensive and which will occupy the least possible time between the'cutting and the loading. operations,

Broadly considered, my'invention comprises a belt conveyer, the necessary driving roll and supports. ,I provide in a device which may easily length of the belt and means for quickly stretch-- ing the belt to the proper length for the tempo-' rary set up, and for connecting the belt about the drive r0ll.- All of this I shall more fully here- In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an illustration of a room with my temporary conveyer installed therein.

Figure 2 is a section through a car embodying my conveyer.

Figure 3 is an elevation thereof showing the drives.

Figure'3a shows, partly in section, one. form of clamp which may be used toanchor the car.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the car.

Figure 5 is an elevation of one of my supports.

Figure 6 is an elevation of a different type of support.

It will be understood that I am now about to describe one embodiment of my invention but that my invention is capable of numerous modifications within the spirit thereof, some of which will hereinafter be described.

Referring now to Figure 2, I provide in the present embodiment a car frame 10 which may be of metal. or wood and which is mounted upon. wheels 11 so that it. may move along the tracks 7. Upon this track I mount rolls 12 and 13 which are journalled in the frame and which preferably have flanges 14 thereon. About these rolls is wound a length of belt suitable for use. as a belt conveyer. I have indicated this belt as 15 in- Figure 2 and hereinafter 1 shall refer to it by the term spooled belt. The spooled belt may be of any desired length or width suitable to the purpose for which it is intended. In ordinary operations, I may use for example, a rubber belt of an inch thick, 3- ply, 20 inches wide and 220 feet long. The spooled belt is made in 12 foot sections, the sections being joined by some convenient removable belt joint or fastening. A convenient type and the type which I prefer is a fastening consisting of two parts attached to either end of the belt pieces to be joined, these parts being held together by a pin. The end 16 of my spooled belt is carried up 'fromthe roller 13 around an idler roller 17, around and beneath a drive roll 19 and if desired, above a tension roll 19 back beneath itself where it may be supported by another idler l8, and around idler 20 to a point 21 where there is an anchor bar to which the end of the belt is fastened. This anchor bar is conveniently a metal rod attached to the frame of the car and provided with members which will cooperate with one part of a belt fastener so that the end of the belt 16- may be fastened to 21 by a pin.

It will now be clear that if the car 10 is held in. position onv track 7, and the belt 16' is grasped by a. roller device at the point 22, and if the rolls. 12 and 13 are free to turn, tension on the belt at the point 22 will serve to draw it out in a double length. This is what I do in part in setting up my conveyer.

Referring to Figure 1, the car 10' may be imagined as placed upon the track 7 in the entrance to drift 3. A motor truck or locomotive 23 provided with a roll 24 is brought down near the car 10, the belt 16 is drawn out until the portion 22 goes over the roll 24 and the locomotive is then advanced to the working face drawing out the belt in a double length. When this has been accomplished, the under length of. the belt is disconnected at one of the 12 foot sections aforementioned and the end thereof is connected. to the other end of the belt 16, said end being disconnected: from the anchor bar 21 for the purpose.

It. will be; seen that Inow have stretched out.

an endless belt for the full lengthof the proposed.

temporary service of my conveyer, and to form this belt into an operative belt conveyer, it will be necessary only to supply the proper supports therefor and to positively drive the pulley 19. Whatever is left of the spooled belt with its separate end will still lie about rolls l2 and 13. The motor drives and the supports will now be more fully described.

I provide upon my car 10, a motor 25 which is belted or otherwise connected to the drive pulley 19. Ordinarily, a 5 horse power motor will be sufiicient for this purpose and I prefer to use a chain and sprocket drive between the motor and the roll 19. For re-spooling the belt, I provide a spool drive by connecting a smaller motor 26 to the roll 13' by means of a suitable drive and I also prefer to connect rolls 13 and 12 by a series of chains2'l to carry my belt. I may, if desired, place an, endless belt around rolls l2 and 13 with a fastening thereon for the end of my spooled belt. It will be understood that suitable sprockets are provided upon these rolls for the purpose. In order to. support the mid-part of the spooled belt, I may provide an idler roll 28 and such other idlers as may be necessary.

Reeling. up my belt, i. e. taking my con-. veyer from one temporary service position to another, I follow the reverse of the operations I have described in setting .up the conveyer. I disconnect my endless belt on the under side fastening one end of it again to the anchor bar 21 and the other end of it to the end of the spooled belt. By energizing motor 26, I can rewind my belt on to the rolls 12 and 13, the belt itself being disconnected from the roll 24 on the motor truck or the truck approached tov my car 10, or both asmay be required.

. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that I provide upon my car 10 suitable power connections for supplying power to my motors 25 and 26-.

I will. now describe the supports for my belt. These supportsv may be of various types. They may consist of standards on either side of the track 7 with roll supports extending therebetween. They may consist of a series of roller supports mounted upon small trucks. The constructionwhich I prefer to use however is in Figure 5.. Here I employ as a main support, a device known to miners as a screw jack and consisting of a metallic column 29, threaded at its endsand carrying, heads 30. Gperating upon these threads so that by turning them as by meansot levers. inserted in the holes 31, the heads 30: may be. caused to press powerfully against the floor and ceiling of the room holding the column 29 rigidly upright. Upon the column I mount a main support member 32 which is in the form of a metallic barand which preferably is perforated at its end toadmit the column 29 so that it may swing thereabout. This end may rest upon a collar 33 fixed to the column and there may be a brace 34 resting upon another collar 35 and tending to hold the support 32 rigidly horizontal as will be understood. Mounted upon the support 32 will be the rolls 36, the function of which is to support the upper part of the belt in a concave form so that it may serve satisfactorily as a belt conveyer concave roller. The formof these rolls and the bearings therefor are well known and need not be described by me. To support the under or returning portion of the belt, I provide a flat roller 37. It will beunderstood that provision is made in the mounting of Z 5 for the spool belt drive roll 19, the various idlers 1 the car 10 about.

this roller so that it may be demounted to permit the insertion of the under part of the belt.v

It will be seen that the support 32 is adapted to-swing about the column 29. Thus if I prefer to leave these supports in a room while taking the rest of my conveyer system elsewhere, I may do so by simply swinging the supports back against the rib of the room. A stop, as will be obvious, must therefor be provided when it is desired to use the support in a belt conveyer for holding the arm 32 outwardly and at right angles, to the travel of the belt, such stops may conveniently be provided in many ways as by the cooperation of a pin extending through support 32 with collar 33, or with a projection thereon. Other types of stops are well known and are adaptable to my support.

In Figure 6, I have shown umn 29 and support 32 upon which is journalled a single larger roller 38. This type of support will be useful in another embodiment of my-in-.

vention in which I dispense with the motor truck or'locomoti-ve 23. I may set up one of thetype of supports shown in Figure 6 along the track 7 but near theworking face 4 of the room, and I will set up other supports of the type shown in Figure 5 along the track '7 and adjacent the rib of the room as before. I may then push my car 10 by means of a locomotive up to the working face and pass the portion 22 of my .belt end 16 about the roller 38 which will be imagined as rigidly fixed transversely of the track 7. Thereupon I will pull my car 10 back to a position at the entrance of the room and anchor it there.

The belt by this operation has been pulled out as before; and the necessaryv connections for driving are made. When the car 10 has been anchored as by means of the device 42 in Figure 3, shown in elevation in Figure 3a, or by-other anchoring means, the locomotive may be sent about other mine business. I may in some cases support the other end of my car by'ahinged member 43. The supports of'the type shown in Figure 5 are swung out from the wall of the drift and the belt brought into engagement therewith, whereupon my conveyer is ready for operation.

' Referring now to'Figure 4, it will be more clearly seen how the car 10' is mounted upon wheels 11 and an axle 39. I have shown here in section, a support consisting of two parts 40 and 4 1. This support is shown in a side elevation in Figure 3. carry on my car, resting upon these supports (which form a divided shelf) one of the smallface conveyers which are well known in mining operations. When my portable conveyer system is in use, this face conveyer maybe slipped off the shelf 40, 41 and while one end rests thereon,

the other may be placed so as to discharge into cars operating on the entry track 2. Thus the portable face conveyer may be caused to load into these cars directly from the end of my portable conveyer system. Or when cars can be brought up to my conveyer,I may load them directly therefrom by means of a chute.

Certain other modifications of. my invention are practicable. The car 10 may itself be motorized thus doing away with the necessity of the locomotive 23 or any other locomotive to move The car 10 may thus under its own power, be shifted from place to place. Or

equipped with standards providing the essentials of the frame of car 10 and with rolls 12 and113 a support with col-- The purpose thereof is to permit me to.

and the anchor bar 21 thus providing in a mine locomotive, a. self contained portable conveyer system where the height of the seam will permit. I may, of course, mount any part of Y. my appa-, ratusupon caterpillartrea'ds so as to be inde:- pendent of. tracks. It will be understood that provision maybe made in my car 10 if desired,

Patent, is:

"1. In a portable conveyer system a carrier for idle belt comprisinginterspaced rolls, an endless connection therebetween, and a means for driving said rolls.

2'. In 'a portable conveyer system, a frame, a carrier for idle belt mounted thereon, driving means for a belt conveyer also mounted thereon, and actuating means for'said carrier and said driving means. V

K 3. In a portable conveyer system, a frame, a carrier for idle .belt mounted thereon comprising interspaced rolls, an endless connection .therebetween, and driving'means for a. belt conveyer also mounted on said frame comprising a driving pulley and actuating means therefor.

4. In a portable conveyer system, a frame,.a carrier for idle belt mounted thereon comprising interspaced rolls, an endless connection therebetween,'and driving means for a belt conveyer also mounted on said frame comprising a driving pulley and actuating means therefor, a belt mounted upon said carrier, one end of said belt. passed around said driving pulley and fastened to anchoring means, whereby when said belt is gripped intermediate its ends, it may be drawn out in a double length.

5. In a portable conveyer system, a frame, a.

carrier foriidle belt mounted thereon comprising.

interspaced rolls, an endless connection therebetween,v and driving means for a belt conveyer also mounted on said frame comprising a driving pulley and actuating means therefor, a belt mounted upon said carrier, one end of said belt passed around said driving pulley and fastened to anchoring means, whereby when said belt is gripped intermediate its ends, it may be drawn out in a double length, and means for driving said carrier rolls whereby said double length of belt may 136 v be taken up again.

6. In a portable conveyer system, a frame, a carrier for idle belt mounted thereon comprising interspaced rolls and endless connection therebetween and means for driving said rolls, and driving means for a belt conveyer also mounted'on said frame comprising a driving pulley and ac tuating means therefor, a belt mounted upon said carrier, one end'of said belt passed around said driving pulley and fastened to anchoring means, no

whereby when said belt is gripped intermediate belt has been sodrawn out, it may be connected in an endless length to forman operative belt '7. .In a portable conveyer system, a frame, a carrier for idle belt mounted thereon comprising interspaced rolls,an endless connection therebetween and means for driving said rolls, and driving means for a belt conveyor also mounted on. said frame comprising a driving. pulley and. ac! tuating means therefor; a belt mounted uponz carrier, one end of said belt passed around said. driving pulley and fastened to anchoring whereby when said belt is gripped intermediiie' its ends, it may bedrawn out in a double length, said belt being sectional and said sections providedwith separable fasteners whereby when said. belt-has been so drawnout, it may be connected in an endless length toform. an operative belt.

conveyor and supports for'saidoperati've' belt con veyer.

8.. In. a portable conveyersystemg. a car. comprising a frame, a carrier for idle belt substantially as described mounted thereon, actuating; means for said carrier, driving means for a. belt conveyor, also mounted thereon and comprising adriving pulley and actuating means therefor, a.

sectional belt mounted upon said carrier, the: end whereof is passed around said: driving and fastened to: anchoring means on said: frame,

92 In a portable conveyor system, a car mounted upon trucks, said. car comprising a frame, hor izontally interspaced rolls mounted: in. the lowerpart of said frame, an. endless connection therebetween means for driving said rolls, a; driv in'g. means for a. belt conveyor mounted upon the upper part iof said frame comprising a driving. pulley, and actuating means forsaid. driving. pullley.

10. In. a portable sectional belt conveyor systern, a car mounted upon trucks, said oomprising a frame, horizontally interspaced. rolls mounted in the lower. part of said frame, amend.- less connection therebetween providing a. re ing surface and means for driving, said. rolls, a driving means for a belt conveyor mounted. upon the upper part of said frame comprising, a driving pulley, and actuating means for said driving pulley, a sectional belt fastened to said endlessconnection and wound about said: interspaced' rolls, the end of said belt being passed: around. said driving pulley and anchored to anchoring means.

11. In a portable conveyer system, a car mounted upon trucks, said. car comprising. a frame-horizontally interspaced rolls mounted. in. the lower part of said frame, an endless connection therebetween and means for driving said: rolls;. a. driving means for av belt conveyor mounted. uponthe upper part of. said frame comprising a driving pulley, and actuating means for said driving pulley, a sectional belt fastened to said: endlesscone nection. and wound about said. interspaced rolls, the end of said belt being passed around.- said: driving pulley and anchored. toanchoring means and a shelf mounted in said frame. between said interspaced rolls and said driving pulley.

I2.v In a portable oonveyer' system in combination a carrier for spooled belt, driving means for a belt conveyor, actuating means for said car-- rier and actuating means for said driving means.

13. In a portable conveyer systemin combina tion a. carrier for spooledbelt, driving means for a. belt conveyor, actuating means for sm'dicarrier and actuating means for'said driving means, said.

carrier adapted to feed out said spo'olede belt in a. double length.

1.4.. In a portable conveyor system-,. portable supporting means; a carrier for spoolecl belt, driving: means for a belt conveyor, actuating. means for said. carrier and actuating means for driving means, said carrier and said drivand actuating means supported by said supporting means;

15.. If. a. portable conveyor system, portable supporting means, a carrier for idle belt, driving' means: for a belt conveyer", actuating. meansfor' said carrier and actuating means for said driving means, said carrier adapted to feed out said spoole'd: beltin a. double length.

16 In a portable: conveyor system, a frame, a carrier for' idle belt mounted thereon, and driv-- ing means for a belt conveyor also mounted on said frame comprising. a driving pulley andactuating means therefor, and a drive for said. carrier: whereby abelt may be taken up thereon,

I7 In a portable conveyor system, supporting means, a carrier for spooled: belt mounted thereon, and driving means for a belt conveyor also mounted upon said supporting means and comprising a driving pulley and actuating means therefor, said carrier arranged to present a loop of belt and tospool up at least one end of said belt whereby upon: engagement of said loop: said belt may be drawn out in a double length.

7 1381. In a portable conveyor system, supportingmeans, a carrier for spooled belt moiuited thereon, and driving means for a belt conveyor also mounted. uponsaid supporting means and comprising a driving pulley and actuating means therefor, said carrier arranged to present a loop ofbelt and to: spool up at least one end of said belt whereby upon engagement of said loop said belt may be drawn out in a double length and driving means for said carrier whereby said belt may be taken up again.

I9. In a; portable conveyor system, a carrier for idle belt, a drive for a belt conveyor, and 115 means for feeding out and taking up idle belt in a double length.

20-. In a portable conveyor system, a belt, a plurality of belt supporting means, atleast one of Whichis portable, means for driving said belt 120 on said supporting means, and portable means for" supporting additional belt for connection in said system.

21:. In a portable conveyor system, a belt, a plurality of belt supporting means, at least one 125 of which is portable, means for driving said belt on said supporting means, and portable means for supporting additional belt for connection in said system connected to and movable with said portable beltsupport.

22'. In portable conveyor system, a belt, a plurality of belt supporting means, at least one of which is portable, means mounted on said portable belt support, and portable means for supporting additional belt for connection in said 135 system.

23'. In a portable conveyor system, a belt, a plurality of belt supporting means, at least one of which is portable, means for driving said belt on said supporting means, mounted on said portable belt support, and portable means for supporting additional belt for connection. in. said system connected to and movable with said portable belt support.

CA-DVVALADER JONES. 

